Carton opener



@at 3U, i923.

W. G. GRIMMER CARTON OPENER Filed 001;. 5. 1921 Patented @et 30, 1923YNl'TED STATES Maaate WALTER G. GRILIMER, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

CARTON OPENER.

Application led OictoberA 3, 1921.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, WALTER G. GRIMMER, acitizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in thecounty of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Carton Openers, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a carton opening implement or device which maybe advantageously used yfor opening cardboard, pasteboard orliberconta-iners used for shipment of various kinds of merchandise. Thecartons are ordinarily sealed and being made of a tough and induratematerial an ordinary knife cannot be conveniently used for opening suchcarton, especially if the carton is to be severed so that a wall thereofmay be hingedly retained in engagement with the carton orsafely removedto be used as a lid. In such instances it is necessary to sever thecarton parallel to edges thereof and in proximity to a wall. and thereis danger of an ordinary knife slipping and spoiling the lid or thatportion of the carton 'to be saved.A Then again, there is that danger ofthe slipping knife cutting the opera tor, and it is a Well known factthat when cutting through corrugated board or the like that the boardWill gather or curl at the knife edge and prevent further cutting,unless the knife blade is shifted to a different angle or sawed back andforth.

My invention aims to provide an opening implement that has a guide orshoe for supporting a knife relative to a carton so that the angle ofthe knife blade relative to the carton may be changed, during a cuttingoperation and thus permit of a portion of a carton being easily andquickly severed,

Without any danger of the knife blade slipping or injuring the carton oroperator.

y carton opening devicev is particularly characterized by an angularguide or shoe y through a wall of which extends the cuttinginstrumentality, and the guide or shoe will serve somewhat as a guardfor the cutting v blade when the device is not in use.

My invention further aims to provide,

a simple, durable and inexpensive carton .opening implement that will behereinafter Serial No. 504,986.

described in detail and then claimed, and reference will now be had tothe drawing, whereinw Figure 1 is a plan of the carton openingimplement;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of the same; l

Fig. 3 is a view of the outer end of the implement, and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the implement illustrating one way ofusing the same.

In the drawing, the referen/ce numeral 1 denotes a suitable handle thatis comparatively flat and has its outer end provided.- with a head 2.

Pivotally connected to the lower face of the head 2 by a screw bolt 3and a nut 4 or4 other fastening means is the lateral flange 5 of anangle bracket 6, said angle bracket protruding beyond the head 2 andadapted to swing laterally relative to said head.

Fixed to the angle bracket 6 by rivets 7 or other fastening means is anangle guide 8 having an overhanging implement supporting portion 9 andthis angle guide or shoe is made of a single piece of metal bent to aright angle with its ends outturned or rolled, as at 10, so that theangle guard may be smoothly shifted along adjoining walls 1l and 12 of acarton or other container,

with the overhanging portion 9 of the anglel bracket gliding along thewall 11 to support the depending portion of the angle brackets 8 inparallelism with the wall 12, although the pivoted angle bracket 5 willpermit of the angle guide laterally swinging should it be necessary whenmoving the implement along a curved wall or about a corner.

The angle guide or shoe 8 has a longitudinal slot 13 and extendingtherethrough is a pointed, sharpened, comparatively flat and triangularshaped cutting blade 14 which has its inner straight edge set in arecess 15 of the head 2 and attached to said head by'screws 16 or otherfastening means, said screws permitting ofthe cutting blade beingremoved `when it is necessary to renew or provide a cutting blade ofdifferent configuration than that shown. To sharpen the cutting blade itis only necessary to remove the angle bracket 5 from the head 2 and vthen the handle 1 will facilitate'manipula-V tion of the cutting bladerelative to a sharpening device.

The sharp outer end of the cutting blade 14 will easily enter the wallof the carton, for instance, the wall 12 when the angle guide is placedon the Wall 11. The angle guide may remain parallel to the walls 11l and12 While the head 2 is swung on the angle bracket 5 and in this mannerthe cutting blade can forcibly enter the Wall 12in proximity to the walll1 and permit of the Wall 11 being released relative toI the otherl:Walls of the carton so that the Wall 11 will be either hingedly heldby the carton or may be completely removed to serve as a lid. Insomuchythat the head 2 is swiveled or pivoted relative to the angle bracket 5the cuttin edge of the blade 14 caribe placed at a esired angle relativeto the Wall 12 and thus prevent crowding or curling of the Wall 12 asthe kerf or slit is produced for removal of the Wall 11. The very factthat the cutting blade 14 can be rocked orplaced at different anglesduring its use permits of the wall 12 being quickly cut without anydanger of the blade becoming stuck in the wall. One operator ma believethat the cutting blade performs etter at one angle than another, so itis optional with the operators of the implement as to the exact mannerin which the cutting blade is manipulated when severing a Wall of acarton.

I attach ,considerable importance to the cutting blade extending throughone of the walls of the angle guide so as to be at all times parallel tothe other wallwof the an le guide, thus-defining the slit or kerf todosproducedv by the cutting blade relative to the Wall against whichl theangle guide is placed. It has been assumed that the mplement has beenused in a horizontal position or'approximately so, but it is apparentthat the implement may be used in a vertical position with the cuttingblade 14 entering the wall 11 and the portion 10 of the angle guideengaging the wall 12. In one 1nstance a ortion of the carton is removedcorresponc ing to 'the area of the carton and in the other instance theremovedrportion is of less area than the carton.

The cutting blade 14 is made of a high grade of steel and the remainderof the implement may be made of any metal and finish to present a neatappearance.

One embodiment of my invention has been illustrated, but it is to beunderstood that' the structural elements are susceptible to such changesas fall within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:-

A carton opening device comprising anY Y angle bracket having a longange and a short ange, an angle guide having a ange thereof rigidly heldby the short flange of said bracket, said AangleI guide having anopeningadjacent the long flange, said bracket and its ends out-turned tofacilitate movement. of said guide, and a cutting instrumentaligtypivotally held by said bracket and having a Hat detachable bladeextending throughv the opening of said angle guide. In testimony whereofI aix my signature in presence oftwo witnesses. Y

WALTER G. GRIMMER.

Witnesses:

ANNA M. Donn, KARL I-I. BUTLER.

